The Church Changed the Perception of Rape

Real Clear Science ^ | June 26, 2012 | Niels Ebdrup

[C19fan]

Destroying another man’s clothes, injuring his cattle and raping his wife. These three acts, which viewed through modern eyes seem highly different, were all considered vandalism against a man’s property in the early Middle Ages. Thanks to the Catholic Church, however, this weird view changed during the Middle Ages. In line with the church gaining influence on society, helped along by cultural trends, the judicial perception of raped women changed.

[C19fan]

/src on/But but I thought the Catholic Church was all about oppressing women and pushing them in the convent./src off/ Compare the civilising mission of the Church to the spread of Sharia barbarism across the globe by Islam.

[Pollster1]

It is entirely possible that, thanks to liberals, diversity, and moral relativism, the perception of rape will change back with our children’s lifetimes. We owe it to our wives and daughters to stand and fight for freedom, for Christianity, and for moral values. We owe something to our parents and grandparents too: They passed a great country on to us, and we have an obligation to leave that country and its culture at least as strong as they were when they were left in our care.

[Flintlock]

But...but...buttt............
Isn’t the Church Eeeeeevillll and misogyanistic?

[DiogenesLamp]

Ping for you guys that wanted to argue with me about Vulgar speech being protected. You may not see the connection between this topic and the other, but from my perspective they are different manifestations of the exact same social forces.

In any case, I believe it is worthwhile that you know about this piece of information. If you don’t see the connection now, perhaps you will eventually.

C19fan, Thanks for posting this article.

[AustinBill]

Of course there's a connection. The Catholic Church has been a civilizing force for most of its history. The exceptions have been the times when it succumbed to the temptation to wield secular power and become a central governing authority. This is consistent with the point I was making in the other thread.

Morality is transmitted primarily by being modeled and secondarily through reason and persuasion, not by decree. For attempts to impose morality violate the principle of free choice which is the foundation of morality. And that is why all such attempts ultimately fail. We cannot make another's choices. We can only make our own choices. This is why it is said to curse not the darkness but to be a light unto it. For in this is the path to Holiness both for oneself and for the World.